"Where are the 200,000 troops now?" Chu Feiyang had already changed into military uniform when he strode out of the palace.
Outside the city, Han Shaomian led an army of 50,000 to confront the army controlled by Hai Chenxi. Although the two sides were at a stalemate, they would not resort to violence in the short term. Xi Lin took the time to return to the city to meet with Chu Feiyang, and at the same time waited for Chu Feiyang's next order.
Hearing Chu Feiyang's question, Xi Lin thought for a moment before answering cautiously, "Two hundred thousand troops have gathered at the East and West Camps on the outskirts of the city. Meng Tao, Ye Chi, Du Ronghui, and the others are ready to go, Your Highness."
Listening carefully to Xi Lin's report, Chu Feiyang nodded slightly. In the darkness, his eyes, as black as thick ink, emitted a little light. In the dark night, a dark green cloak swept through the air in a flying arc. Chu Feiyang had climbed onto the horse in an instant. Sitting upright on the horse, he turned his head to look at the palace behind him. The expression in Chu Feiyang's eyes flickered slightly, but he didn't say anything else. He led Xi Lin and ran towards the long street...
The long street had long since returned to silence. Perhaps because they knew that the Sea King's army had already captured several cities in Western Chu, the wealthy families who had just sent their servants to the long street had recalled everyone and ordered all the slaves to guard their own courtyards.
'Da da da... da da da...' The crisp sound of horse hooves came from the silent bluestone road, and the sound went straight into the dark night in the distance, leaving behind a throbbing fear.
"Whoa..." Chu Feiyang pulled the reins in his hand at this moment and stopped the horse.
He turned his head slightly to look in the direction of Prime Minister Chu's residence, with a hint of worry and concern in his eyes.
Xi Lin then tightened the reins, stopping the galloping horse. He then slightly pulled the reins to bring the horse closer to Chu Feiyang's mount. Noticing Chu Feiyang's gaze was directed towards the Chu Xiang Mansion, Xi Lin called out softly, "Prince."
"Go back to the Prime Minister's Mansion first and tell the princess about the matter so that she doesn't have to worry." Chu Feiyang retracted his gaze and ordered Xi Lin in a low voice.
"Yes." Xi Lin clasped his fists towards Chu Feiyang while sitting on the horseback, then pulled the reins to change direction, galloping towards the direction of Prime Minister Chu's residence at an extremely fast speed...
Chu Feiyang watched Xilin leave. His expression was solemn, his eyes hard and cold as he turned forward, raising the whip in his hand...
"Who is coming?" At the city gate, the city defense troops had already been on high alert. Candles were brightly lit on the entire city wall, and patrolling city defense troops could be seen everywhere. There were also countless city defense troops guarding the city gate. It seemed that even though Jiang Muchen was in the imperial mausoleum at this time, the city defense troops were still very well-informed.
"Chu Feiyang." Chu Feiyang looked down at the guards guarding the city gate and gave his name in a cold voice.
"Greetings, King Chu, open the door." Seeing that it was Chu Feiyang, the guards below immediately saluted Chu Feiyang, and then shouted to the city defense soldiers behind them to open a city gate to let Chu Feiyang out of the city.
Seeing that the city defense army let them pass so easily today, Chu Feiyang did not move at all. He scanned the entire city tower with a cold gaze. He saw many figures on the tower and could faintly hear the footsteps of the city defense army patrolling.
"Your Highness?" The guard saw that Chu Feiyang was just sitting on his horse and had no intention of leaving the city. For a moment, he was unable to figure out what King Chu was thinking, so he called out softly.
"You are very well-informed." Chu Feiyang turned his cold eyes to the guard, his voice low but with an innate deterrent.
The guard lowered his head slightly under Chu Feiyang's intense scrutiny, but replied in a resounding voice, "Your Highness, thank you for your praise."
At this moment, the sound of weapons clashing could be heard outside the city. Chu Feiyang's expression froze, and he rushed out of the city gate like a ghost, shocking the city defense troops...
It was the middle of the night, but no one in the capital could sleep. The Chu Xiang Mansion was also brightly lit with candles. The housekeeper led the guards and servants to defend the Chu Xiang Mansion, vowing to defend everyone in the Chu Xiang Mansion to the death.
"Princess." Nanny Shangguan walked quickly into Mengxin Cottage. Seeing Yun Qianmeng bowing, she quickly said, "Princess, an imperial decree just arrived from the palace, stating that the Emperor has appointed the prince as a general and ordered him to lead an army of 200,000 to encircle and suppress the Sea King."
Hearing this, Yun Qianmeng clenched her hands on the table. Her calm heart skipped a beat, but she managed to steady herself. With a calm expression, she said, "It has come to this. Where is the prince now? Should he lead his troops and set out immediately, or should he return to the Prime Minister's residence first?"
Chu Feiyang was given the task at a critical moment this time, and he had no advantage over the Sea King who had been planning for a long time. If he was defeated in this battle, not only would the generals of the Chu family be executed, but the people of Western Chu would also suffer.
After all, Chu Feiyang was renowned for his military exploits and his command of the army. If he fell, the imperial court would be left with no one capable of supporting the overall situation, and the Western Chu Empire would most likely fall into the hands of the Sea King.
As for King Chen, he also had his own plans and would certainly not care about the common people. Chu Feiyang had to both encircle and suppress Hai Quan and guard against King Chen. It was inevitable that he would make mistakes while doing two things at once.
"Your humble servant pays his respects to the princess." At this time, Xi Lin quickly walked to the main door of Mengxin Cottage to pay his respects to Yun Qianmeng.
"Come in quickly, where is the prince now?" Yun Qianmeng strode to the door, staring at Xi Lin with unconcealable anxiety and worry in her tone.
"My princess, the four most powerful generals under the Sea King have captured more than ten cities including Zhengzhou, Tongzhou, and Yicheng in the past few hours. The tens of thousands of troops guarding outside the city have begun to have sporadic minor frictions with Han Shilang's troops, and someone spread rumors that the prince killed the young master of the Sea King's mansion during the Sea King's birthday banquet, saying that the Western Chu royal family has gone too far and blood debts must be repaid with blood, and the Sea King had no choice but to raise an army to protect himself. The prince has left the capital and will go to the military camp near the capital to investigate the situation. The prince asked the princess to rest assured." Xi Lin reported Chu Feiyang's message to Yun Qianmeng seriously.
After listening to Xi Lin's report, Yun Qianmeng smiled coldly, with a hint of sarcasm in her eyes.
What a great Aquaman! He moves so fast.
They had just won a battle and captured a city, but here they had already spread the news in an attempt to confuse the people.
Indeed, the young prince of the Sea King's palace was only a one-year-old child, but he died during the Sea King's birthday banquet. And the Sea King was a minister who had made great contributions to the country, commanding hundreds of thousands of troops, so the royal family naturally had a taboo against this person.
It would be better to send someone to kill the young prince during the Neptune's birthday so that Neptune would have no descendants.
Who in the world would be willing to let someone who doesn't even spare babies be the ruler of the world? The Sea King's rebellion became a good deed to eliminate the tyrant.
This routine is indeed very vulgar, but it is extremely effective in arousing the sympathy of the people, and makes Hai Quan's rebellion legitimate and in line with the will of the people.
Nanny Shangguan approached Yun Qianmeng, helped her sit down slowly, and poured her a glass of water to calm her down, fearing that Yun Qianmeng would have a miscarriage due to worry.
Although Yun Qianmeng sat down, the worries in her heart did not subside at all. Looking at the bright candlelight under the night sky outside the house, Yun Qianmeng frowned deeply, but her mind was quickly analyzing the current situation in the capital.
Hai Chenxi's tens of thousands of troops guarded the city gates, effectively blocking all escape routes. To curb the chaos caused by the rebels, Emperor Yugan would undoubtedly issue a strict ban on all civilians entering or leaving the capital. This would render the capital a dead city, with no escape options but to wait for death.
However, Prince Chen's men were stationed within the city. If so many city defense troops launched a counterattack, no one would be able to stop them. By then, the capital would be a river of blood. All the scholars and officials within the city would likely become bargaining chips for Prince Chen.
Thinking of every word Jiang Muchen had said to her by the Ludai River, Yun Qianmeng's heart tightened. If she was captured alive by King Chen, Chu Feiyang's hands and feet would be tied, and it would be even more difficult to predict who would win and who would lose.
"Someone come here." A determined light flashed in Yun Qianmeng's eyes as clear as a spring, and he suddenly spoke in a deep voice.
"Princess, what do you need?" Nanny Shangguan stepped forward, bent down beside Yun Qianmeng and asked carefully.
Apart from that, the main house was completely silent. Everyone knew that the world was about to fall into chaos, but compared to ordinary people's homes, the guards and servants in Prime Minister Chu's mansion were patrolling in an orderly manner.
"Let Xi Lin in." Yun Qianmeng's face was steady, with a solemn look between his brows, and he looked outside the house with a firm gaze.
"What are your instructions, Princess?" Xi Lin heard Yun Qianmeng's voice. He stepped in wearing armor and knelt on one knee in front of Yun Qianmeng, waiting for her order.
Seeing Xi Lin fully armed, Yun Qianmeng knew this battle was inevitable. She tapped the table lightly, then stood up and ordered in a serious tone, "Gather all the secret guards inside and outside the Chu Palace and the Chu Xiang Mansion. Gather them and prepare to leave the capital."
"Princess..." Upon hearing Yun Qianmeng's order, Xi Lin immediately raised his head, his eyes filled with shock.
The prince had already ordered the secret guards to protect the Chu Palace and the Chu Xiang Mansion tightly, but why did the princess leave the capital? If something happened, the prince would be unable to help.
"Hurry and take care of this. Tell the prince that I will take good care of myself and ask him to protect himself." Yun Qianmeng didn't offer any explanation. Instead, she turned around and instructed Mu Chun and the other maids, "Pack your belongings and pick out some simple and elegant clothes to take with you. Nanny Shangguan, please prepare a few carriages. The more ordinary the better."
Nanny Shangguan saw Yun Qianmeng's determined expression, but was very worried about her health. She and Xi Lin tried to persuade her, "Princess, your body can't withstand the ordeal. You should wait until the prince returns. After all, we have so many guards in our mansion. I believe you won't suffer any harm."
Upon hearing this, Yun Qianmeng shot a cold glare at Nanny Shangguan and said with a faint smile, "Our enemies now aren't just the Sea King. Those sitting on the dragon throne in the palace, and those rushing to the imperial mausoleum, are very likely to turn against us. We can't go to the battlefield to assist the prince, but we can't hold him back either. Yes, we do have many guards in our palace, but compared to the city defense army and the imperial guards, we will probably be no match for them. When the time comes, we will have no choice but to surrender. Hurry and prepare, don't waste any more time."
When the Sea King suddenly attacks, the Chen King will certainly not sit idly by. The only thing on their minds is the kingdom of Western Chu. How could they allow others to seize the throne they have coveted for so long?
"Yes." The two of them understood Yun Qianmeng's concerns at the same time, responded in unison, and then got busy.
After staying up most of the night, Yun Qianmeng's expression gradually showed signs of fatigue, but suddenly something suddenly occurred to her mind. She immediately called out to Xi Lin, who was about to leave, and asked with all her strength, "Where are Grandpa and Grandpa?"
"The old prince and the Xiahou clan leader went to the military camp before the prince left the city." Xi Lin turned around and told Yun Qianmeng what he knew. Then he bowed and turned to leave, going out to handle the matters that Yun Qianmeng had asked him to do.
"Princess, let me help you go into the house and rest for a while." Muchun walked forward, looked at Yun Qianmeng's pale face and tired expression with heartache, and carefully helped Yun Qianmeng walk into the inner room.
Yun Qianmeng did not bother to rest. She stepped into the inner room and took out the map of Western Chu. She spread it out on the table and studied the map of Western Chu carefully. She also looked carefully at the several cities that the Sea King had already captured.
"Princess, everything is ready." Nanny Shangguan came back and reported in a low voice what Yun Qianmeng had just instructed.
Xi Lin then stepped in and reported to Yun Qianmeng, "Princess, everything has been completed. Shall we set off immediately?"
"Princess...Princess..." Unexpectedly, Butler Hong rushed in in a panic, knelt on his knees in front of Yun Qianmeng, and said anxiously, "Princess, something terrible has happened."
Hearing Butler Hong's voice, Yun Qianmeng stood up again, quickly stepped out of the inner room, and fixed her eyes on Butler Hong.
Seeing Butler Hong, who was always calm and steady, showing such an expression, Yun Qianmeng's heart sank slightly. She asked in a cold voice, "What happened? Why are you so flustered?"
"Princess, it's bad. The city defense troops closed the city gates after the prince left the city. Not only that, the city defense troops blocked all the roads out of the city, making it impossible for people to enter or leave. I'm afraid we can't leave the capital. The streets are full of city defense troops. They will drive back any civilians they see, and arrest anyone who resists." Butler Hong didn't have time to wipe the cold sweat from his forehead and quickly told the news he had just received.
"What?" Shangguan Momo was the first to react, and asked Butler Hong in shock, "Butler Hong, are you mistaken? Prince Chen is in the imperial mausoleum right now. He doesn't have the Sparrow Talisman, so no one can mobilize the city defense forces. Besides..."
However, Shangguan Momo stopped talking halfway through his words.
The Sparrow Talisman is now in the hands of the Emperor, but the unusual changes in the city defense forces at this time can only mean that all this was planned long ago by Prince Chen, and that small Sparrow Talisman was just a means for Prince Chen to appease the Emperor and all the officials.
Prince Chen was afraid that when he learned of the Sea King's mutiny, he had already calculated that Emperor Yugan would send Chu Feiyang to encircle Hai Quan, so he waited patiently for Chu Feiyang to leave the city, and then immediately closed the city gates. The capital was completely in his hands.
"Princess, what should we do now?" At this time, even the calm Nanny Shangguan couldn't help but frown.
Everyone in the Chu Xiangfu knew that Prince Chen had been pestering the princess. Now that the prince was out of the city and the princess couldn't leave, if Prince Chen had any ill intentions towards her, it would be dangerous.
"Don't worry, Mammy. Hide all the things we prepared. Since Grandpa and Grandpa aren't in the capital, we can gather all our forces at the Prime Minister's Residence and take the best possible precautions. Qiao Ying, immediately send someone to the Fuguogong Mansion, the Rong Mansion, and the Yunxiang Mansion to inform the old lady and others to stay calm in the mansions. Whether it's Prince Chen or Prince Hai, their first priority is to seize the world and they won't deal with us yet. Unless absolutely necessary, we must not clash with the city defense forces and minimize our losses." The only option now is to wait and see. If we force our way in, under the current circumstances, we will undoubtedly suffer. If we don't escape the capital by then, we'll probably be the first to be captured. This is the most foolish course of action.
"Yes, I'll do it right away." After he finished speaking, Qiao Ying immediately stood up and walked out of Mengxin Cottage.
"Xi Lin." After giving Qiao Ying the order, Yun Qianmeng turned her gaze to Xi Lin. The entrustment and solemnity in her expression made Xi Lin's heart tighten.
"Princess." Xi Lin walked forward cautiously and clasped his fists respectfully towards Yun Qianmeng.
"Do you remember the mountain road we took to Puguo Temple the last time we left the capital at night?" Yun Qianmeng asked Xi Lin in a low voice.
"Remember." Xi Lin's voice was firm.
Upon hearing this, Yun Qianmeng's eyes flashed with approval, and then he ordered in a deep voice, "The city defense forces are currently focusing their attention on the civilians within the capital. I'm sure they haven't completely blocked off the mountains surrounding the capital. You should leave immediately and go to Feiyang. Be sure to protect him."
"But, Princess..." Xi Lin's face was filled with hesitation. The situation inside the city was even more dire than outside. Everyone knew Prince Chen wouldn't miss such a good opportunity, but they didn't expect him to act so quickly. If the Princess were captured by Prince Chen, the consequences would be disastrous! Even the Prince would lose his usual composure.
"Go quickly. The battlefield is full of swords and hidden arrows. What he has to face is much more dangerous than what I have to face. I will find a way to leave the capital." Yun Qianmeng's eyes flashed with a fierce look, and his brows were full of decisiveness and determination. Without saying a word, he urged Xi Lin to leave.
"Butler Hong, prepare a horse for Xi Lin immediately." Yun Qianmeng stopped looking at Xi Lin and turned her attention to Nanny Shangguan. She ordered, "Nanny, divide the remaining people into three groups and take turns guarding Prime Minister Chu's residence. The rest of you, all return to your rooms and rest."
This is a protracted war. We cannot panic because of sudden events, nor can we keep our minds tense because of fear of everything. Exhaustion of energy will only give the other party an opportunity to take advantage of us, which will benefit the enemy.
"Yes, Princess." Everyone answered in unison. At this moment, if they could not unite, they would soon be defeated by the enemy. Since the situation was so serious, they might as well make adequate preparations and fight to the death.
"Princess, let me help you go back to the inner room to rest." Yun Qianmeng's face had turned slightly pale. Mu Chun felt very distressed when she saw it. She quietly stepped forward to support Yun Qianmeng and helped her into the inner room. After helping Yun Qianmeng lie down, Mu Chun sat at the head of the bed and quietly watched over Yun Qianmeng.
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